In Pictures: Anti-data centre protesters flood Halifax streets

By Matthew Copage, Hannah MacFarlane, Emme Morin, Kendra Perrin, Laura Publicover, and Jackie Shirokov
4 min read
A protester holds a megaphone while walking down a street. A police vehicle follows behind with its lights on.
caption Protest co-organizer Iman Mannathukkaren chants at the back of the march on Barrington Street. A police vehicle follows behind the march as streets were partially shut down.
Jackie Shirokov

On Oct. 16, Halifax-based EverWind announced plans to build an $8-billion AI data centre campus in Point Tupper. The company also plans to invest $2 billion in onshore wind power to run the facility. EverWind says the project will be funded by private capital and revenue generated from a 20-year lease with American artificial intelligence company Anthropic.  

The potential environmental impact and financial strain associated with the project has sparked concern for many Nova Scotians. In response, seven rallies around the province were scheduled for Nov. 7. 

More than 1,000 protesters gathered outside Province House in Halifax on Saturday, and several hundred more across the province. The Signal staff were there to document the crowd as it moved through the rain-slicked streets of downtown Halifax.  

A large group of protestors fill the street near Province House in Halifax. Many protestors are holding handmade signs with anti-data centre messages.
caption Protesters with handmade signs fill Hollis Street, outside Province House in Halifax on Saturday.
Jackie Shirokov
Two protestors holding signs near Province House. The protestor on the right is wearing a paper mache face mask.
caption Protester Riley Lloyd (left) protests outside Province House.
Laura Publicover
Two young girls dancing while surrounded by protesters holding signs.
caption Flora Suzanski (left) and Symphony Steinbach (right) dance in front of their handmade signs outside Province House. Kay MacDonald, who gave a speech earlier in the day, holds the girls’ signs.
Kendra Perrin
A crowd of protesters.
caption Nancy Hunter (left) claps and chants in a crowd of nearly 2,000 at the rally, which she helped organize.
Kendra Perrin
Alt text: People gathered in front of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, holding protest signs saying “All my homies hate data centres” and “Use your head, make AI dead.”
caption Protesters stand with anti-AI signs outside the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia on Saturday.
Jackie Shirokov
Protesters holding signs gather to watch speakers.
caption A multi-generational crowd of protesters takes a front-row seat for speeches decrying the proposed data centre in Port Hawkesbury.
Kendra Perrin
Protest with a "No AI Data Centres in Mi'kma'ki" poster at the front and people following down Hollis Street.
caption A banner reading No AI Data Centres in Mi’kma’ki leads the march down Hollis Street.
Laura Publicover
A protester holds a megaphone while walking down a street. A police vehicle follows behind with its lights on.
caption Protest co-organizer Iman Mannathukkaren chants at the back of the march on Barrington Street. A police vehicle follows the march, and city streets were partially shut down.
Jackie Shirokov
Photo displays protestors marching.
caption Protesters marched from Province House on Hollis Street down Argyle Street in Halifax, eventually returning to their starting point.
Laura Publicover

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About the author

Emme Morin

Emme is a Bachelor of Journalism student at the University of King’s College. Born and raised in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, she is interested...

Kendra Perrin

Kendra is a reporter from Vancouver, BC in the one-year Bachelor of Journalism at King's.

Laura Publicover

Laura Publicover is a Bachelor of Journalism student at the University of King's College.

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